The Padres are pushing Nick Pivetta’s scheduled start on Sunday back due to arm fatigue, reports Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego’s staff ace had been scheduled to throw a standard bullpen session this afternoon. That was also delayed, though Acee writes that Pivetta should throw a bullpen within a few days and could be back in game action next week.
There doesn’t seem to be any real concern. Pitchers are still building up arm strength at this stage of Spring Training. Pivetta also has one of the stronger durability track records of any pitcher in the league. Aside from illness, he has only gone on the injured list once in his MLB career — a month-long absence early in 2024 due to a flexor strain. He returned without issue and had the best season of his career for San Diego last year.
If the pause lasts more than a few days, it’s possible it’ll lead the Padres to reconsider the way they order their season-opening rotation. San Diego hasn’t announced who’ll take the ball against Tarik Skubal and the Tigers on March 26. Pivetta would be the obvious choice on the heels of a sixth-place Cy Young finish. He has made two starts this spring, building to 43 pitches on Tuesday. Michael King, Joe Musgrove and Randy Vásquez are expected to follow him in the rotation. There’s an open competition for the fifth starter role.
A more notable camp storyline is the health of utility player Sung-mun Song. The former KBO star tweaked his right oblique during offseason training. Song was cleared early in camp and has appeared in seven Spring Training games, batting .250 with one home run across 19 plate appearances. He felt renewed tightness in the oblique during Thursday’s game and was lifted after two at-bats.
Song didn’t play on Friday and is listed as day to day. Manager Craig Stammen told Acee the team will approach the situation with increased caution now that the oblique has flared up twice. He noted that it’s more general soreness than something that can be traced to one swing, which likely would have signified a more acute strain. Song’s status for Opening Day is nevertheless back in question. If he’s not available, Mason McCoy or Will Wagner could win a utility role.
A second/third baseman in Korea, Song was making his first professional start at shortstop in yesterday’s game. The Padres have also had him take outfield drills to build more defensive versatility. They’ll have Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado in the lineup most days at Song’s respective primary positions.
Cronenworth is out to a strong start in camp, batting .353 through his first 18 plate appearances. He connected on his first home run of exhibition play in Thursday’s 27-6 rout of the Mariners. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com notes that the longball came to left-center field. That’s not ordinarily noteworthy, but the lefty-hitting Cronenworth has never hit a regular season home run to the opposite field. He has 80 career longballs over six seasons, all of which have gone to the pull side.
One exhibition homer isn’t going to suddenly make Cronenworth an all-fields power threat. It came off a Double-A pitcher in a game where the wind was blowing out; the teams combined for 12 homers altogether. Still, it’s a positive indicator that aligns with some tweaks which Cronenworth made over the winter to his weight transfer and bat path. Cassavell chats with the veteran infielder and first-year hitting coach Steven Souza Jr. about the adjustments for a piece that Padres fans will want to give a full read.
Q: What’s a Cronenworth? A: Not very much
lol, you live up well, to your account name. Bravo!
I apologize, I was under the influence.
It happens
SOB – It’s worth more than a schilling.
But less than a Pence
Going back to prior conversations, I have to wonder what McCoy is thinking as he plays 2nd while Cro is getting the SS reps?
Considering the way some of the invites are hitting, a guy like McCoy or even Wagner, don’t seem to have a chance. Bruce maybe as well since Ramon or Tatis could play CF if they had to for a few games.
BJ will be on the roster, barring injury. He’s the back-up CFer, pinch runner, and OoO.
Solak, Miranda and Bowen are all hitting well. Not sure what they may have for options but hitting too well to lose.
McCoy likley passed thru waivers. BJ maybe too.
I’d like this bats on bench. If injury accursed you can always go out and find a BJ.
Solak is at 2B today, which is interesting. I think if Song begins season on IL (or at AAA), one of McCoy or Wagner have a good chance to make roster
Song on IL will increase odds for McCoy. Until he comes off IL. I’d hope he passes thru but McCoy is a guy the tcan be replaced (glove only) if we lose him.
A potential LF for future with some pop with control has to be protected.
Can’t Bowen be retained on a minors deal? I do think BJ is nearly a given to make the team.
As for McCoy, yeah he’s glove only, but the only ML ready back up at SS (other than Cronenworth) in the organization.
In re-thinking, if Song starts on IL (or in minors) and they don’t roster McCoy to back up SS I can see McCoy and Wagner sent to AAA (because they have options), and to fill the super utility role they might pivot the Miranda or even France. Though France isn’t much more than a 1Bman at this point. Both France and Miranda are likely to opt out if they don’t make the ML team, though I have to wonder if there’s a handshake agreement with France to start in minors in case Casty flops
I hope Miranda and France accept AAA with an opt out 5/15 if not on team.
At some point, making sure we have a deeper bench and retain a potential LF of the future just has to outweigh back up / hope we don’t ever need him SS. Cro can give a rest day.
I’m not sure who has option but I’d think the minor league contract guys with experience have opt out clauses but, may take a month at AAA if they like the vibe in SD.
France due to his 1b GG probably over Miranda if it comes to that because Anduar can cover 3b if necessary. Ty in an emergency. So, if Miranda went to AAA with an opt out meaning France stays up, I’m good with that.
There is a chance at having a 1b and LF for future here and should not let them go just for a back up SS who, might clear waivers and you get to keep anyway.
I like Bryce for what he does as well but, Laureano and Tatis could cover a few games in CF – using Miranda or even Nick C in a corner – if it came to that for a day or 2, to avoid losing those guys.
I’ll call it unconventional maybe but, playing for best possible team / bench as opposed to contingency if either X or JM got hurt. You want Miranda and France on bench for late game AB or BJ and McCoy.
It’s fun being able to have this conversation because there are some options.
I probably value BJ’s hitting more than some do. Lacks power but makes good contact.
Bowen has played CF as well. His bat in the minors hasn’t been jaw-dropping though (high k rate, not great OBP) so I’m not sure he’s the future. Maybe? But they do need to think past this year with the moves they make this spring.
Where would you play Miranda and Solak? The team already has Song (in theory) available as a + glove to cover multiple IF positions and possibly LF to give guys a day off in the field. Miranda is maybe 3B/1B and Solak is primarily 2B/1B, both righties (essentially same role as Andujar/Castellanos).. I’m just not seeing how that helps the team flexibility to be so over-leveraged in corner IFs when you’re one injury away from starting someone like Castellanos/Sheets/Andujar in LF regularly. I just can’t put that much weight on 20 ST PAs.
Bowen is a little more interesting. I like the known commodity of BJ more plus he’s a switch hitter so you can at least threaten a pitching change late in games. Without Song the whole bench is RH. If they wanted to go with a younger upside play for the backup OFer, that’s fine.
@Straight in the event Song isn’t on the OD roster, I’d play Miranda at the same super utility positions Song is going to play. He can play 2b. But the team might consider Wagner or McCoy as better options due to their gloves
I’m mistaken. Miranda can’t play 2b so rule him out. Back to the thought of Wagner or McCoy if Song it out
Yeah I see Andujar, Castellanos, and Campusano as locks with BJ and Song/McCoy/Wagner/(France?) as obvious slam dunks given the roster needs. I suppose you can play the options game a bit to keep France especially if Song is quick to return. I don’t see any room for Miranda.
Yes BJ had a knack for going 1 for 3 every time he got a start last year! Weak singles that may or may not impact a game, but he did get the hits when give a chance. Now, do I think he can do that for 300-400 PA / year? No.
Cast is not a LF option. Where would I play them? Bench / DH. I’m not sold on Cast yet (hoping for the best) and if he isn’t hitting by mid- May, he needs to be released because he is on the downside of a career.
You can play France at 1b some and get a LH bat on bench in Sheets.
Until Song proves he can hit, Andujar, France and Miranda are doing so. Some of these guys can be in LF when Ramon is gone for 2027.
Miranda is hitting too well (I know it’s ST) to just let him go if he can’t be optioned.
Just not seeing the vision with Miranda. BJ isn’t expected to carry an offensive load, he’s the 4th OF. He’s quite good in the role he carved out, but SSS and all that. I was way down on Castellanos signing but both he and Andujar are hitting well thus far and have better track records than Miranda/Solak/France/etc. If you’re gonna go hard on semi-positionless RH bats, those are the two I’d want.
Ominous sign for the Padres. I suspect the big experiment could come crashing down. Preller has done what he could to keep it going with refurbished parts.
Dramatic much?
Pads barely have a rotation to begin with. Roster top-heavy due to superstar signings, then subsequent spendings cuts. Preller been doing his best work lately though. That deadline haul was great. He is making the right signings. But ownership should still be up against luxury tax if they cared.
You kinda can tell things are going to be rough in Padre Town when even the diehard fans in the comment section are writing mini-dissertations on the pros and cons of whether Bryce Johnson, Ty France, or Jose Miranda should be rostered or not.
Ownership is in 2nd tax bracket, js
IDK, I always thought the fun thought of ST was the bench/competitions. Hell a lot of the issues in 2021 and 2023 can be traced to a lack bench/rotation/bullpen depth.
Yep and yep
Bummer about Song, really wanted to see him get more reps at SS while Xander was out. Not worried about Pivetta.. yet. However, I’m feeling really good about Marquez somewhat rediscovering the fountain of youth.